1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a bending mechanism for bending a bending portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, for example, an electric bending endoscope comprises an insertion portion to be inserted into a body cavity, and an operation portion for operating the endoscope. The insertion portion comprises a flexible tubular portion which has desired flexibility, a bending portion to be bent, and a distal hard portion. The operation portion comprises a bending mechanism for bending the bending portion.
Such an electric bending endoscope is disclosed in, for example, Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-224241. Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-224241 discloses a medical manipulator that allows the simplification of the structure of a driving portion and a reduction in size of the medical manipulator.
A bending mechanism of this medical manipulator comprises an operation wire connected to a bending portion, a pulley around which the operation wire is wound, and the driving portion such as a motor connected to the pulley. The driving portion uses its driving force to wind the pulley and pull the operation wire, thereby bending the bending portion.